Warner Bros. Pictures' and Village Roadshow Pictures' groundbreaking short film "The Final Flight of the Osiris" will accompany the worldwide theatrical release of Castle Rock Entertainment's and Village Roadshow Pictures' supernatural thriller "Dreamcatcher," opening nationwide on March 21.
Inspired by the visionary action and innovative storytelling that power "The Matrix," "The Final Flight of the Osiris" is a nine minute computer generated short that serves as an explosive prelude to "The Matrix Reloaded."
This spectacular fusion of CG-animation and Japanese anime is one of nine short films that comprise "The Animatrix," a collection of stunningly visual stories that delve further into the mind-bending world of The Matrix and the characters who inhabit it. The film series was conceived by the Wachowski Brothers, the creators of "The Matrix" trilogy, who wrote four of the nine "Animatrix" episodes including "The Final Flight of the Osiris." The collection also features the directing talents of the world's foremost anime filmmakers.

Warner Home Video and Village Roadshow Pictures will release "The Animatrix" worldwide on DVD and videocassette on June 3, between the theatrical release of the next two chapters in the "Matrix" trilogy: "The Matrix Reloaded," opening May 15; and "The Matrix Revolutions," coming to theaters in November 2003.
In addition, four of "The Animatrix" shorts will be streamed for free at www.theanimatrix.com prior to the collection's DVD and video release.
"We couldn't be more thrilled to offer fans unprecedented access to four of the `Animatrix' shorts prior to the DVD release," said Joel Silver, producer of `The Matrix' films. "The original content of the films and the clarity with which they will be streamed is truly extraordinary."
Beginning February 4, the following "Animatrix" episodes will be streamed free for fans:

-- "The Second Renaissance - Part 1" (Streaming February 4). Written by Larry and Andy Wachowski; Directed by Mahiro Maeda. This epic two-part story delves into the history of the war between mankind and the Machines and the genesis of The Matrix itself.
-- "Program" (Streaming in March). Written and Directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri. In the simulated world of a Samurai training program, a soldier of Zion is forced to choose between love and her comrades in the Real World.
-- "Detective Story" (Streaming in April). Written and Directed by Shinichiro Watanabe. Film noir meets anime in this story of a hard-boiled private eye who tracks cyber-criminal Trinity (voiced by Carrie-Anne Moss) through the looking glass.
-- "The Second Renaissance - Part 2" (Streaming in May). Written by Larry and Andy Wachowski; Directed by Mahiro Maeda. The dramatic conclusion of the story behind humanity's downfall and ultimate enslavement by the Machines.

"The Wachowski Brothers' vision for `The Matrix' is one that extends far beyond the theatrical trilogy, and the world they have created is so rich that we've chosen to tell these inter-connected `Matrix'-related stories in multiple mediums," Silver continued. "`The Animatrix' takes fans beyond the boundaries of the movie screen and into the vast realm of The Matrix, introducing them to new characters and scenarios that further the trilogy's mythology and amplify their cinematic experience. In particular, `The Final Flight of the Osiris' serves as chapter 1.5 in the `Matrix' trilogy, giving fans an electrifying ride though the events that occur following `The Matrix' and directly impact the story told in the video game `Enter the Matrix.' In turn, this chain of action sets off `The Matrix Reloaded.' It's not crucial that fans see `Final Flight' or play `Enter the Matrix' to enjoy `The Matrix Reloaded,' but their movie-going experience will be immeasurably enhanced and they will gain a deeper understanding of the world of The Matrix."
Written and developed The Wachowski Brothers, "Enter the Matrix" is due for release on May 15. One example of the connection between "Final Flight" and "Enter the Matrix" can be seen in the game when the character of Niobe, played in both mediums by Jada Pinkett Smith, must retrieve and relay information obtained by the crew of the Osiris to the rebel fleet or face extinction at the hands of the Machine Army.
"The Final Flight of the Osiris" is written by Larry and Andy Wachowski and directed by Andy Jones. Under attack from the Machine Army, the rebel warriors aboard the hovercraft Osiris attempt to send a vital message to the citizens of Zion, the last human city on Earth.
"We're extremely excited to have `The Final Flight of the Osiris' accompany our worldwide release of `Dreamcatcher,'" said Martin Shafer, CEO, Castle Rock Entertainment. "The film's highly stylized storytelling and explosive style are the perfect compliment to Lawrence Kasdan's supernatural thriller. And as fans of `The Matrix,' we're thrilled to give audiences their first theatrical glimpse at the events that shape the next two chapters in the trilogy."
"As a huge fan of `The Matrix,' I'm thrilled to have `Dreamcatcher' be the first place in the world for people to see `The Final Flight of the Osiris,'" said Lawrence Kasdan. "I've seen this incredibly seductive piece of storytelling and it ranks up there with the original film's groundbreaking invention."
In "Dreamcatcher," based on Stephen King's best-selling novel, four young friends perform a heroic act and are changed forever by the uncanny powers they gain in return. Years later, on a hunting trip in the Maine woods, they are overtaken by a blizzard, a vicious storm in which something much more ominous moves. Challenged to stop a deadly alien force, they confront an unparalleled horror, with the fate of the world in the balance. "Dreamcatcher" stars Morgan Freeman, Thomas Jane, Jason Lee, Damian Lewis, Timothy Olyphant, Tom Sizemore and Donnie Wahlberg. The film is directed by Lawrence Kasdan ("Body Heat," "The Big Chill," "Silverado," "Grand Canyon," "French Kiss"); the screenplay by Kasdan and Academy Award-winning writer William Goldman ("Misery," "All the President's Men," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid").
In "The Matrix Reloaded," freedom fighters Neo (Keanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) continue to lead the revolt against the Machine Army, unleashing their arsenal of extraordinary skills and weaponry against the systematic forces of repression and exploitation. In their quest to save the human race from extinction, they gain greater insight into the construct of The Matrix and Neo's pivotal role in the fate of mankind.
"Dreamcatcher" and "The Matrix Reloaded" will be distributed worldwide in 2003 by Warner Bros. Pictures, an AOL Time Warner Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures.

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